Jumpy Jack & Googily by Meg Rosoff & Sophie Blackall

It is that time of year again when I start stressing about what to buy my god-daughters for Christmas.  Last year I inundated them with Charlie and Lola stuff which I loved myself.  I also bought them Aliens love Underpants because frankly, well - a cool idea is a cool idea paired with some hilarious writing.

I've been collecting picture books this past year and will be doing some random reviews in the run up to Christmas.  And erm, of course I bought these as research and gifts for my god-daughters.  *I'm lying, can you tell?*

First up in this sequence of reviews is the very quirky and funny Jumpy Jack & Googily by Meg Rosoff and Sophie Blackall.  Jumpy Jack is the snail of the pair and he is really quite scared of monsters.  He has a bit of a phobia about them.  I wonder if he's ever taken a good look at Googily?  Googily is a two fingered blue monster, with buggy out eyes, sticky out teeth and he wears a bowler hat.  I mean - Jumpy Jack!  You are incredibly brave and not at all a scaredy cat!

But Jumpy Jack (best name ever for a snail, I think) and Googily are the best of friends and Googily looks after Jumpy Jack on their strolls about, making sure that there are no monsters in the pool, behind the tree, or the inside the postbox or behind the door. All is well that ends well.  The lights go off and Googily's tiny voice comes on, asking Jumpy Jack to please help him this time around.  He's scared of socks, of all things, and needs Jumpy Jack to check under the bed as he's sure he can hear a sock squeaking.  I know the feeling Googily, I know the feeling!

A clever story, wonderfully illustrated by Sophie Blackall in these understated tones, that made me smile and giggle.  It's the silliness of it all but also the sweet friendship and the fact that they rely on each other, not just Jumpy Jack on Googily.

A great treat for readers 4 - 7.